Gifts
by hyacinthian
Summary: Neo and Trinity are given a gift. A gift no person would ever return.
1. Life after Revolutions

A/N:  This is just something that popped into my head one lazy Sunday morning.  I hope you like it; it is kind of confusing.  This is post-Revolutions, so if you haven't seen it…I don't advise reading this unless you want spoilers. There are spoilers in here, so…if you don't want spoilers, don't read it.  This is an NT story as well.  This is a chance for me to give them a happy ending. ::smile::  By the way, I apologize for any mischaracterizations.  This is my first venture into Matrix fanfic.

Disclaimer:  "The Matrix" and all of its characters, as great as they are, do not belong to me, sadly.  They belong to the bros. Wachowski.  Please do not sue.  No copyright infringement intended.

                Trinity opened her eyes and blinked.  _Where am I?_  She was in a room of some sort.  The walls were painted a stark white and she was dressed in black leather.  _What happened? I…thought I died._  She sat on the green bench, the only piece of furniture in the room.

                "I bet you are so confused, aren't you, honey? Here, have a cookie. It will help you relax," a woman sitting next to her gently offered. Trinity looked at her. Her eyes went wide with shock.

                "…the Oracle."

                "That's me," the woman smiled.  "I bet you're just bursting with questions, aren't you?"

                "What is this place? I thought I died."

                "This place honestly doesn't exist.  Honey," she paused to put a hand on Trinity's shoulder, "you are dead…well, you were."

                "I was?" Trinity asked.  "Then, what am I doing here? Why haven't I passed on?"

                "I was killed too.  Don't worry.  I am here to explain a process to you and you are here to watch Neo." She saw Trinity's eyes flare with concern, worry, and love at the sound of his name. 

                _Neo? What happened to him? I'm supposed to watch him? Watch over him? And why didn't I pass on? Okay. Calm down, Trinity. Let the poor woman explain._  "What process?"

                "There is a program, much like the Architect.  She controls life and death in the Matrix.  She decides who passes on.  When someone passes on, that means that their life was consequential enough and they won't have to live another one.  When someone is reincarnated, their body is flushed out, but reinserted into the Matrix.  They get to live another life because there weren't enough chances.  When someone is reborn, they have died but their lives were so special that they are given a second chance.  These are the three classifications.  Your friend, Mouse, he was reinserted into the Matrix.  Another crewmember of yours, Cypher, he passed on.  Those who have been wronged during their death have often been reinserted into the Matrix. And yourself?  The program, Lady Anastasia, wishes to meet your acquaintance, you know."

                "Does she?"

                "Yes, but we cannot go just yet. I am supposed to supervise you as you oversee Neo's final battle with Agent Smith."  

                "He's not an agent anymore. If you don't mind me asking, how did you die?"

                "You'll see, dear."

                "How am I supposed to watch Neo's battle with Smith?"

                "The television.  Live broadcast, you know."  Trinity followed the Oracle's gaze to the television in front of them.  The Oracle reached inside her bag.  "Cookie?"

                _I can't believe this.  I am supposed to go see this person, who rules over who passes on, who is reborn…but before I can, I have to watch Neo fight Smith?_ _Neo._  She felt tears form behind her eyes but she blinked them back and focused on him.  She watched as Neo appeared to die or lose a few times.  However, each time he got up.

                "Why? Why do you fight, Mr. Anderson?"  She listened to Smith's endless tirade about the futility of human emotions. _Tell him why, Neo. I'm dying to know myself._ His answer was nothing short than what she would expect from him.

                "I fight because I choose to."

                She watched as Smith lost.  She watched as each Smith died.  She watched, tearfully and emotionally, as Neo died.  The Oracle placed a hand sympathetically on her shoulder.  Then, all of a sudden, he was there. "Trinity!" he cried, running to her.  They embraced, tears gliding down their cheeks.

                The Oracle watched them. They pulled apart and she kissed him passionately.  She had missed him so much.  "If you are finished, Lady Anastasia wishes to see you both." Neo gave Trinity a puzzled look.

                _Who's she?_

                _Don't worry. She only controls who passes on, who is reborn, and who is reinserted into the Matrix.  Mouse was reinserted, you know. _He smiled.  Somehow they could read each other's thoughts just by gazing into each other's eyes.

                The Oracle led them down the hallway, up the stairs, and into a room.  She sat there, with her back turned to them.  Her long, flowing red hair reached her waist.  "Ah, the mysterious and elusive Neo and Trinity," she said with a thick French accent.  "I heard that you met the Merovingian, that arrogant son-of-a-bitch.  His wife, Persephone, is not so bad.  I heard that you had a bad experience with her.  I hear a lot of things, eh? I am Lady Anastacia. I control who moves on, who gets reinserted, who gets another chance.  Shall we review?"  Anastacia placed a large file folder on her lap.

                Trinity was puzzled. "Review what?"

                "Your friends and crew members, eh?  This file is composed of all of their lives, for review.  Your files are here, also.  This is so I can determine whether or not you should pass on, get reinserted, or be granted a second chance.  Someone is always watching.  First things first, Dozer.  He was reinserted in the Matrix.  As was Mouse, Tank, Switch, and Apoc.  Now, Cypher was a special case.  He was the Napoleon Bonaparte of the Nebuchadnezzar, eh? Er…no, the Benedict Arnold.  Sorry. He was passed on.  Now, your lives are for review. Usually, you'd be kept in the waiting room until I could inform you, but you are special cases yourselves."

                Neo, who had been silent, spoke. "Why?"

                "Ah, I see you and your beloved do not speak much, eh? Go straight for the business.  That's good.  Your lives are in review because of your strange deaths.  Trinity, you first. I have made a decision, after reviewing your file, to send you back to the desert of the real.  Zion is saved and there is peace, and you have helped us create that peace and end the war.  You deserve a second chance.  Neo, I am granting you a second chance also because you were a sole reason why the war ended and why there is peace.  I am giving you both a second chance.  The Oracle will show you how to return to Zion." Trinity and Neo began to head for the door. "Neo?"

                "Yes?"

                "I am also granting you eyesight.  The Oracle will show you the way to the Healer.  He will …repair…your eyesight before you return to Zion."

                "Thank you."

~*~*~*~

                "I made that sky for Neo.  Do you think he'll like it?"

                "I'm sure he'll love it, Sati, wherever he is," The Oracle smiled at the little girl.

~*~*~*~

                Morpheus stood and clutched Niobi to his chest, breathing in the scent of her hair. "The war is over," he said, tears in his eyes. 

                "Neo.  He did it."

                "Yeah. Trinity and Neo did it." _Did they survive?  I hope to God they survived._

                "Morpheus!" screamed Trinity, running towards the group in Zion.

                "Trinity!" he exclaimed. "Neo! How did you—you guys did it!"

                Trinity looked to Neo.  _We did it, Trin.  We were able to stop the war._

_                You mean, you were able to._

_                God, I can see again._ Trinity smiled.

                _We're both thankful for that._

                "Come on, guys.  I'll give you guys the greatest dinner you've ever had," Niobi said.

                "You mean, _we'll_ give them the greatest dinner they've ever had," Zee said. Niobi looked to Zee, still clutched in Link's embrace, and smiled.

                "What say we stay in Zion for a while?" Neo said, nuzzling against Trinity's hair. She chuckled. 

                "Sure."

A/N: Voila! All finished.  Anyway, there might be sequels and whatnot.  It depends.  On what, you may ask?  On your wonderful reviews! 3 3  

Love on ya

Kara 


	2. Reunions

                                                                                **_Gifts_**

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. They belong to the Wachowski Brothers and all parties associated.

Author's Note: Hey. I'm sorry it took me like a year to update.  I just couldn't think of a suitable storyline. I recently re-watched the trilogy and it gave me inspiration to write. Sorry for any mischaracterizations on my part.

            A girl, perhaps eleven, was seated next to an elderly lady in a small kitchen. The floor tiles were different shades of green and the walls were stained. They were baking cookies and exchanging small tokens of friendship.

            "I got you this," the girl said, handing the elderly woman a wrapped box.  The elderly lady smiled as her trembling hands undid the ribbon.

            "Candy. You got me candy," the woman said with an odd joy. "I love candy. Did you like what I gave you?"

            "Yes, but you shouldn't have. There's a visitor coming today. _They _want to see you." She giggled. "But they don't know that I'm going to be who they're seeing." The old woman smiled.

            "Did I surprise you?"

            "When?" The girl got up and peeked into the oven to check on the cookies.

            "When I returned to this for," she said. Out of nowhere, she suddenly stated an off-topic comment. "This peace…it's very alarming."

            "Just a little. But you were still you. Why is it alarming?" She returned to sit across from the old woman. There was a knock on the door. The teenager got up and opened it. A couple walked in, the woman was carrying an infant.

            "Neo. Trinity," Sati tipped her head in acknowledgement. "And who is this?" Her words blended together in a unique lilting coo.

            "This," Trinity said, with utter pride and happiness, "is Deux." The baby was wrapped in a pink blanket.

            "Is it a 'she' or a 'he?'"

            "It's a she."

            Sati peered over the blanket in an odd manner. "May I speak to Neo, and the baby—alone?" Trinity nodded and handed the baby over to Neo, walking silently out into the living room.

            "I bet you're surprised to see me here," Sati said, reaching for the baby.  He nodded as he handed her the child. She sat down and cradled the girl in her arms. "And I bet that you didn't see that sky I made you. _And _I bet that you're just bursting with questions about that program, but there's time for that later."

            The Oracle stood and walked over to pull the cookies out of the oven. "Hey, kid." He nodded slightly at her greeting.

            "You made me a sky?" he asked, removing his sunglasses. His face was different. It was less pale and more colorful. It was the appearance of a man, not at war, but experiencing happiness. Death had seceded slightly, leaving him room to breathe and enjoy the simpler joys of life. "You know there are talks of creating cities above ground? Zion will not be the only human city anymore."

            "Enough small talk," she said in a cheery tone. "I need to get to the point here. You see, there is talk that _I _may be the _last _exile…and there _was _talk that _you _would be the last anomaly.  However, upon seeing your daughter, I doubt you are. You came here with a purpose." He began to speak, but she interrupted. "But that purpose cannot be fulfilled just yet. You are _quite _the overeager parent." He was speechless. The Oracle smiled.

            "She's good, ain't she?" She began to remove the cookies from the baking sheet. "Quite an extensive vocabulary for an eleven-year-old."

            "How are your parents doing?"

            "This meeting is not about me, it is about you. You need to have a little patience." Neo woke with a start. Trinity, who had been awake for some time, looked at him.

            "Are you okay?"

            "Fine. Just fine." He glanced in the corner and in his mind, he could almost picture the little infant peacefully sleeping in its bassinet.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

            Link and Zee had spent the remainder of their morning together, embracing and kissing and just enjoying each other's company. Later in the day, Cassandra had visited, bringing along her two children. They laughed and played like they hadn't done so in their entire lives. There was a knock at the door. It was Morpheus.

            "There's something you all need to see." So they followed him, treading the expansive paths of Zion, until they arrived at a house. They opened the door and stepped inside. Cassandra gasped and almost had a heart attack when she was tackled, playfully, and pulled into a large hug. There were amused chuckles and glances all around the room.

            "I missed you," someone spoke in her hair. There were light tugs on his pants leg and he glanced down to see who the culprits were.

            "Stop it," the little girl spoke timidly. "Momma, are you alright?"

            "I'm fine," was the reply. It was his turn to gasp softly as he picked the two children up. "Kids…" she said with ecstasy in her voice, "…do you remember how Daddy went on a _long _vacation?" They nodded. "Well, he came back."  She embraced Dozer as her tears slowly slid down her face. Zee had momentarily forgotten about Link as she went and embraced Tank. As she hugged him, she noticed plugs.   

            "You were plugged into the Matrix?" she asked. He shrugged. It was good to have them home, plugs or no plugs.


End file.
